23 April 2006

Air rage allegations against policemen on Belfast flight

Northern Ireland 's Policing Board is to investigate the alleged involvement of English off-duty police officers in an air rage incident that occurred just before Easter.

Police sources in Northern Ireland confirmed last night that a number of the 10 men who were taken off an Easyjet flight from Belfast to Newcastle-upon-Tyne were officers from north-east England. They were accused of causing a violent disturbance during the flight across the Irish Sea on 13 April.

It took place on flight EZY554, which had been due to arrive in Newcastle at around 5.15pm with 139 passengers on board. An Easyjet spokesman said that due to 'an incident' the plane was forced to turn around and land at Belfast International Airport.

An official at the airport confirmed that 10 men were not allowed to re-board the Easyjet aircraft, which took off again after a delay that lasted 90 minutes. The Easyjet spokesman added that 'the nature of this incident will be investigated by police'.

So far none of the men has been arrested or charged with any offence.

Alex Attwood, the SDLP's justice spokesman, said that he would be raising questions at the Policing Board as to why none of those involved was taken into custody or charged with air rage offences. 'I will be asking the Chief Constable, Hugh Orde, at next month's Policing Board meeting about this incident,' he said.

'I want to raise this matter because the public have to be confident that there is not one law for them and another for members of police forces, regardless of where they are or where they come from.

'If that is the situation, then the law itself has been brought into disrepute,' Attwood added.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police pointed out that none of their officers was arrested at Belfast International. He added: 'There was nothing on the computerised log to suggest any officers on board and no information passed to our Professional Standards department.'

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said that they could not comment on the matter.